The present application relates generally to the field of computer, thin client, and mobile device applications and more specifically to hybrid applications that support functionality that may be accessed via a combination of web programming and platform-specific executable code.
Since 2007, the mobile application industry has grown significantly. For instance, recent research suggests that while in 2007 the market for mobile applications was nonexistent, in 2013 the two primary mobile application stores or marketplaces combined include more than a million applications. And it is expected that by 2016 the mobile application industry will reach almost $50 B in revenue.
Developers seeking entry into the industry usually have the options of either programming independent versions of their products for each platform, programming their products entirely in a web programming language, such as hyopertext markup language 5 (HTML5) and/or JavaScript, or using a hybrid solution that includes aspects of both platform-specific programming and web programming. These hybrid solutions usually rely on access through a mobile device's web browser that may expose the device to security risks, among other things. Additionally, hybrid solutions may restrict or limit access to specialized hardware, such as a global positioning system (GPS), camera, and other peripherals, among other things. Further, hybrid solutions typically require a constant connection to the Internet or may require certain tightly-coupled components or resources that may limit their use on a thin client.